YOU can't beat the last day of the season for excitement at Saints.

Veterans of numerous relegation clashes in the 1990s will vouch for that. When it goes your way, there is nothing quite like it.

The pre-match hype, the excitement, the buzz as the scores come in from around the grounds... and eventually the joy at knowing your team have done it.

Of course, the other side of the coin was very much felt during the relegation season. But those memories have been banished again now.

Yesterday's game against Southend had all the crucial ingredients to make it a last-day special - including the right result.

It's the play-offs now for Saints and you have to applaud George Burley and the players for getting there.

After the defeat to Colchester in mid-March, it looked as though it was all over. It was a dismal night and it was hard to find much optimism that Saints would achieve their minimum goal for the season - a top-six finish.

There is no doubt that Saints have been aided by some incredible inconsistency from the teams around them in this patchy Championship season - particularly from Preston and Cardiff.

But they still needed to get out there and collect the points, and they did.

As it proved, there was little margin for error. If Saints would have chucked in an extra draw somewhere down the line, they would have missed out.

They didn't, though, and now the attention quickly switches to Derby.

If you believe history, they are the team to face.

They are largely out-of-form and are still going to be nursing the hangover of missing out on automatic promotion. The fact they did that when clear at the top not very long ago will also raise questions over their temperament.

Also take into account the two games this season - a high-scoring draw at the start of the season at Pride Park not telling us much, but the more recent game at St Mary's being far more revealing.

Though Derby walked away with the three points in early February, they may as well well have galloped off into the distance on the back of a horse wearing a black mask.

Saints should have buried them and would have done so if they would have taken their chances.

So we know, despite the fact they finished third nine points ahead of Saints, there is nothing to fear.

Derby will be strong, they are resolute at the back, but they aren't prolific going forward. It's hard to imagine a glut of goals over the two legs, or indeed a feast of football if Derby try and stifle the games.

But Saints are more than capable of doing what's required.

They proved they have the stomach for it in the pressure situation yesterday.

It looked a bit nervy to say the least in the first half hour.

Though the scores round the other grounds ultimately made no difference, you couldn't help but feel maybe the enormity of the occasion got to a few of a young Saints team.

Southend struck fear into the hearts of the marvellous sell-out St Mary's crowd when they took the lead on 13 minutes.

Centre-half Adam Barrett produced a very un-centre-half-like finish with a crashing volley from the edge of the area that flew past Bartosz Bialkowski.

But Saints started to settle down and get themselves back into it.

Leon Best had a header saved by Darryl Flahavan and a scramble was hacked off the line before Saints equalised on 29 minutes.

Kenwyne Jones met a deep cross from Gareth Bale from the left and headed downwards at the far post past Saints fan Flahavan.

It was a good finish and calmed things down.

Jones almost gave Saints a half-time lead when he controlled on his chest and smashed an 18-yard volley at goal, but Flahavan's fingertips turned it on to the bar.

Saints were rocking just before the break when skipper Claus Lundekvam was stretchered off.

But Burley and his coaching staff obviously got stuck in at the interval and Saints came out and cruised to victory.

They made it 2-1 four minutes after the re-start when Peter Clarke sliced a clearance in front of his own goal back over his head to the grateful Best, who tapped home from a yard out.

With ten minutes to go, Saints knew their fate when Bale crossed and Best sidefooted home.

Just two minutes later, the scoreline looked emphatic.

Referee Nigel Miller was shaping to give a penalty after Best was brought down by Flahavan, but before he could blow Jones had squeezed the ball in.

If anybody has holiday plans, cancel them.

This season's not over yet.